New Shanghai, Brisbane CBD

Bring on New Shanghai in Brisbane City, Queens Plaza. Tucked away in the bottom level food court next to Coles, lies the busy little sanctum of really good Shanganese food. We were greeted and seated almost immediately and, because we had our little Parker-Bear with us, we were given a high-chair. My partner Bart and I were seated at a large table near the bar, almost in the middle of the room – surrounded by many people chit chatting away and enjoying their meals. Although New Shanghai is a small space, it is beautifully decorated, and true to Asian tradition – numbered menu items! Which is especially good for me because I am shocking at trying to pronounce any asian language.I stalked the menu for a full day beforehand, so I already knew what I wanted to order, dumplings, dumplings and more dumplings.. But first an entree we really enjoyed was Drunken Chicken [#107] – served cold, chicken fillets soaked over-night in Chinese rice wine. It was deliciously salty and sweet, and super refreshing. It was the first time I had ever tasted drunken chicken and I absolutely loved it.After polishing the drunken chooken off, I was ready to start devouring dumplings. First up on my list was Xiao Long Bao [#201] – a steamed mini pork soup dumpling. I had tasted my first one of these at a dumpling bar in Sydney, and longed for another since. Simply amazing! So, so impressed. Definately one to add to my favourites list But be very careful – the hot soup does burn, so try not to be too eager !Next up – Vegetarian Dumplings [#216]. I love vegetarian dumplings, but some can be a real let down – usually because they are just filled with bland cabbage and maybe a little bit of carrot (if you are lucky). These were really something – silky thin dumpling skin filled with so many types of vegetables. Even my 2year old downed these 🙂Something that really caught my eye whilst I was casually stalking the menu was the Shepards Purse & Pork Wonton [#221] – a pork steamed wonton, tossed with sesame peanut butter and chilli oil. Simply wicked! The sauce was creamy and nutty paired with the spicyness from the chilli oil (one of my favourite things ever) was simply genius. Love it! Love it! Love it!A plate of Pan-Fried Pork and Crabmeat Buns [#610] arrived next. Tiny little parcels that are different to their dumpling cousins. I am lead to believe that yeast is added in order for the dough to rise and become soft and springy, it is then pan-fried. It was filled with a beautiful crabmeat and pork filling with a delicious broth – but again be warned of hot soup! This was Barts favourite 😀Starting to feel full.. We asked for half plates for mains, but they were still huge! Fried Garlic American Pork Ribs [#606] – if you like getting your hands dirty, then this is for you. Fat, juicy, deep-fried ribs with a strong garlic flavour – very yummy. These are not hot date material !We were then reccommended Davids favourite dish – Deep Fried Prawns coated in Salted Egg Yolk – a traditional Shanghai dish. The texture is like noneother I have ever experiences, the sauce is very salty and rich in yolk flavour, but has a slight tang to it that I couldn’t put my finger on. Bart thought it was pretty fantastic though. Last up, something caught my curiosity. [#101] – Shredded Kelp mixed with spice and vinegar. Not an aesthetically pleasing dish, but wow, does it pack a punch. Don’t underestimate the spicyness of this small plate. I love spicy! It’s kind of like a Shanghai version of a Japanese Wakame salad 🙂 Finally we ended the night with a refreshing pot of White Tea and the fullest of bellies. What a feast. A truly lovely place for the family and I for a mid-week date night meal 🙂

** [misslollylovesfood] was a guest of New Shanghai, however all thoughts, opinions and photos are my own.